a. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to an apparatus for producing fragrance, and, more particularly to a fragrance dispensing device that automatically emits fragrance by providing a self-contained unit which houses a battery-powered fan for increasing flow of air over a fragrance material, so as to dispense fragrance from within the unit and out through an air discharge opening.
b. Description of Related Art
A need exists for a device that can be easily assembled and disassembled, a device that includes fewer parts for ease of manufacturing, and a device that is simple to operate.
While conventional fragrance dispensing devices provide a means of automatically dispensing fragrance, such devices are often difficult to operate because of their design complexity. Such devices also do not adequately dispense fragrance over a large area. Moreover, such devices include multiple components that can be difficult to manufacture and assemble, thus making the device expensive and unreliable.
In the art, there currently exist devices for automatically dispensing fragrance or insect repellant, as disclosed for example in the Published U.S. patent application to Ketcha et al. (Pub. No. US 2002/0005437). The Ketcha device is a personal protection device for repelling insects. The device includes a cartridge, which includes a composition comprising insect repellant. The device further includes an atomizer for actively dispersing the composition, causing the composition to be removed from the cartridge and to be dispersed in an area around a subject.
Other U.S. Patents related to battery powered fragrance dispensers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,370,829, 4,865,816, 4,840,770, 4,111,655 and 3,990,848. The fragrance dispensers disclosed in these Patents include basic components such as a motor for driving a fan, an electrical or mechanical power source for supplying power to the motor, and a fragrance source.
These conventional fragrance dispensers however have several disadvantages. Some of the key drawbacks generally include an excessive number of components, which can make the device difficult and expensive to manufacture. Additionally, because of the excessive number of components, the odds of essential components being damaged or destroyed during use is increased, thus rendering the device inoperable. Because of design flaws, conventional fragrance dispensers can also be dangerous to operate as they may require the handling of corrosive components such as batteries, which may be corroded by, for example, interaction with the fragrance material or other such materials. Moreover, for the average consumer, conventional devices can be difficult to operate as they may require sophisticated assembly, disassembly and operation procedures.
The invention solves the problems and overcomes the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a fragrance dispenser which has relatively few components for ease of assembly and disassembly, is simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and is safer to handle and operate.
In particular, the invention accomplishes this by providing a fragrance dispenser, which includes a container for holding and exposing a fragrance material. The fragrance dispenser further includes a housing defined by at least one elongated shell and a cap including an elongated slider. The or each elongated shell is slideably engageable with the elongated slider on the cap. The container is disposed within the housing. The housing also includes at least one air discharge opening, which may be in the form of a perforated wall of either the elongated shell or the cap. The fragrance dispenser further includes a power source mounted in the housing and supported by the elongated slider. A fan is driven by a motor powered by a power source, all of which are mounted in the housing. The fan is operable to increase flow of air over the fragrance material and to dispense fragrance from within the housing through the air discharge opening to an exterior of the housing. When the elongated shell is engaged with the cap, the power source supplies power to the motor to drive the fan, and when the elongated shell is disengaged from the cap, power from the power source to the motor is discontinued.
In the fragrance dispenser, the fragrance material may be a solid, a liquid or a gel. The elongated shell includes a first elongated shell and a second elongated shell, which are slidably engageable with the elongated slider on the cap. The first and second elongated shells are mirror images of each other, and each may include a cradle support for the motor. Each of the first and second elongated shells may also include a resilient engagement member for permitting detachable engagement with the cap. The engagement member may include a resilient snap-fit member including a tongue for snapping into a slot in the cap. Each of the first and second elongated shells may also include a cutout for permitting detachable engagement with a lock member on the cap. The cap may further include an elongated support structure mounted to the elongated slider for supporting the power source. The power source may include at least one battery, and first and second battery contacts for transmitting power to the motor. The first battery contact is disposed between the batteries and the container and supported by the elongated slider, and the second battery contact may be fixedly mounted to the elongated shell. The second battery contact is connected to the battery when the elongated shell is engaged with the cap, and is disconnected from the battery when the elongated shell is disengaged from the cap. Additionally, in the fragrance dispenser, the container and the housing may be of a plastic, a ceramic or a metal.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the invention solves the problems and overcomes the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a fragrance dispenser including a container for holding and exposing a fragrance material. The fragrance dispenser further includes a housing defined by at least two connectable members. Each of the two connectable members is capable of detachable engagement with another of the two connectable members. The housing also includes at least one air discharge opening on at least one of the two connectable members. The fragrance dispenser further includes a power source mounted in the housing. An air-moving source is mounted in the housing and driven by a motor also mounted in the housing. The motor is powered by the power source. The air-moving source is operable to increase flow of air around the fragrance material, to dispense fragrance from within the housing, through the at least one air discharge opening, to an exterior of the housing. When one of the two connectable members is in an engaged configuration with another of the two connectable members, the power source supplies power to the motor to drive the air-moving source, and when one of the two connectable members is in a disengaged configuration from another of the two connectable members, power from the power source to the motor is discontinued.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.